Stottie

Shit start with two gifts. If we don't get organized, it's going to be a shit entire game.

Ranieri's Leicester were a long-ball team, though they mixed it up between over-the-top through balls and hoof-like balls flicked-on by Okazaki. https://www.espn.com/soccer/leicester-city/story/2853289/leicester-city-among-highest-percentage-of-long-balls

A great result and performance. Dunno how much was due to the fecklessness of our opponents, but you can only beat what's in front of you. Callum Wilson was lively. When I looked around for some verdicts when we signed him, I found a Statsbomb article comparing him to Jermain Defoe by the Spurs fan on there. Wilson is four inches taller but apparently no heavier, and yesterday certainly played like a pacy moocher who shoots a lot and makes positive runs. In the right setup, Defoe was an effective goalscorer even in his 30s after racking up injuries. Only 42% possession in the end, but a world apart from our games last season. Some good passages of play from us and an easily deserved win.

Nice one ref.

If the deal was/is expected to go through, that sounds good to me! Going way back, I still regret not having a bet on Pardew as next manager after Golfmag said the contracts had been signed. I remember him saying it weeks before. All the press had was a vague rumour that Hughton had been facing the sack had we lost one of the early games that season.

That is almost exactly what I remembered. Waddle started that season on fire, as unplayable a wide forward as Robben or Hazard or Salah since, but we ended up playing this mental 4-2-4 with Cunningham and Reilly in the middle and Beardsley and Waddle pretty much hugging the touchlines. Lots of fans didn't like it, Waddle didn't like it, and was sold at the end of the season via an effing tribunal that only valued him at 590,000. He was worth about three times that, as he later proved in French football. Waddle's a mackem and a bit of an idiot, but what a footballer in his day. Genuinely world class. My memory was that there were faint shouts of "Charlton out!" in the following pre-season, and they made his mind up to walk. One memory of that season that two of those inflatable broon ale bottles used to be set up in the center circle and in one game, one fell over and rolled down the pitch into the Leazes goal, signalling wild celebrations and shouts of "one-nil"! No-one had a phone to look at waiting for kickoff in those days. I remember going to a 1-1 home draw against Man U in the snow as well. Despite my memories of toon games with Jackie Charlton in charge, he always seemed a good bloke, really genuine, and there are far too many great stories to suggest otherwise. RIP.

Is he razor sharp?

We didn't create another chance after the second equaliser. Pretty much on the beach.

Meaningless game perhaps, but great to see Sterling put it to Liverpool just after they win the league. Liverpool's more immature fans have been willing him to fail, but he has significantly stepped it up since leaving them.

Aye well done Liverpool. Easily deserved. Back at the start of the season when Allison was out, I did not expect them to go on and dominate in this way. They have proved they have quality all over the pitch.

The good ol big man, little man. Tactical genius.

I'd have hauled him off at HT, but he's won the game for us there through the sending off. I don't like our players using the dark arts, we're not a team that usually gets decisions and the memories of Mitro's shit attempts are too raw, but Joelinton's done a number on the guy there. The first booking was for absolutely nothing. His manager must be fuming. In fairness to Joelinton, we are bottom in the league for shots inside the 6-yard box and about the same for shots inside the box. He's been feeding off very little all season. ASM has looked great, but had he done what he's done twenty-thirty yards higher up the pitch, he'd be find of the season and we'd be hearing constant rumours of big bids for him from the top clubs. Ours is not a system that flatters attacking players.

Yes it is. A media trope in the past few years has been to refer to Zaha as the best player outside the top six. Now its Aubameyang. Arsenal are that low in the league with a Barca/Real level striker. Put him in our team in place of Joelinton and the extra 10 points would have us fifth.

Greatest one-two in history!

Aye, good shout. The games come thick and fast.

Still under 43% possession.

Lolz for the first and he left the Tyne Tunnel there at the near post for the second.

Surely you can kick the corner flag during social distancing!

Facing ten men, we're back down to the 45% possession we know and love.

Komic Kapers there for our gollol. Best league in the world etc. etc.

Sounds like I'm on a meandering river here. Gerrin!

Nice one Joelinton, a bit reminiscent of Joselu tackling it into the goal for a decisive moment. Pressure on Bruce to go on and win this now.

Not bad, Joelinton about as far from scoring as possible on that chance as the main talking point. Since he's also got himself booked for nothing, Bruce has to hook him at HT. Sheff Utd look very poor, but their delivery from dead balls is very good, way better than ours. I could see that deciding the match if we are passive and let it happen.

55% possession and 81% pass success rate. What's happening? Joelinton same as ever though.

Chunky!